2023 Australian Grand Prix - Buildup, Practice & Qualifying Thread

[nani_s23]

Mercedes had a pretty horrid season last year with only two poles and one win. This year they again tried their zero pod concept. But they are not happy with it so instead of finger pointing, head chopping and infighting, they are simply changing their approach and going for a similar but albeit different concept.

That is the mark of a healthy team atmosphere. Something Ferrari lacks and will never have.

Yup..!! Ferrari in F1 being best example of how Org shouldn’t work or operate.

[patrese86]

The most depressing thing isn't that we are behind like this
..it's they the drivers are having a positive feeling in the car, they say it's nice to drive and are able to extract the maximum in it. That is so dejecting to hear. It's fundementally slow everywhere.

[paneristi]

Yup… I take back my statement “this car has lot of potential”. Car doesn’t work in Rain/Low temp/dry etc.

Thanks to Mattia Binotto. Ego/Politics in ferrari running their chances in F1. I don’t see any immediate fix or even long term fix for this. Wasting Talents (Alonso/Leclerc).

Engineering is very important in F1 but it is not the only factor. The culture, pride, (Binotto-centered) organization have beens proven wrong. I see Fred working his butt off to clean up the mess. Rebuilding the team is going to be long & painful, but it should be better than burrying head in the sand ala Mattia. Better late than never (although it’s been long overdue).

[paolo lalli]

As for super fast as stated by that idiot vigna just another job for the boy and a dumb one at that.The sad part is that vigna could not give a **** how sad . Ferrari need to move faster on changing there concept.They new after testing there were problems.The changes should have started then just like mercedes did they called it early, not like the thick heads at ferrari who persisted with a lemon and hoping through an act of God it will become an orange.God told them long ago scrap the concept the proof has been laid bare for all to see.A painful race most likely awaits baring define intervention vigna my ****.q

[JPZ]

Ferrari need to work on a B concept and use the testing and on track data to develop next year’s car.

[paolo lalli]

Exactly I feel this years ship has sailed.

[Williams F1 Fan]

Alex Albon had a Good Qualifying session, getting 8th, one place behind Charles. Logan Sargent Qualifying in 18th, one place ahead of Bottas.
Could be an interesting tussle with Max and George, Qualifying 1st and 2nd respectively.
What's happened to McLaren? Been improving the last few seasons, they brought in Piastri from Alpine. They seem to have gone off the Radar so far. Early days.

[PURE PASSION]

As today , this team is "A JOKE"!!!!!

[Ferrari312T4]

Our performance is pathetic.

[Ferrari312T4]

We don't have qualifying speed and with don't have it in the race either. What simulation system do we have? I bet it runs on a Acorn Atom

[DJTaurus]

Maybe we have a wet setup :P

[brucewayne]

Maybe we have a wet setup :P

I am suprised that they didn’t send the drivers out with full wets for the last run :D

[stefa]

I am suprised that they didn’t send the drivers out with full wets for the last run :D

Years and years will pass before this team is back to winning ways

[paolo lalli]

Ferrari as a team will be tested now under Fredericks control,as to how ferrari dig there way out of there hole.It will take real team work and great minds working in unisen and in harmony in a non stressful environment,is this possible? Well it has to be the way because if not a longer period of pain awaits.

[faloupas]

There is almost nothing to say...it is just sad for the fans ,for all this support to this team.
Obviously Ferrari managed to make a slower car than the previous years car...what to say about that.
Obviously Charles already knows that there is no future in this team.He speds year after year like Nando and Seb for nothing.

[wisepie]

Expected more from quali but both drivers claim they were given wrong info on cars coming up behind them , believing them to be on fast laps, so moved over and it ruined up their tyre prep. Charles also admits he wasn't at his best, but reading between the lines, I think he's just very disillusioned with this season already. The worst thing for me is seeing the two Mercs managing to grab P2/3. Saying that, there is no excuse for the SF23's failings and where is this bomb of a power unit? We can only dream of a decent result tomorrow, it seems.

[ferrari1.8t]

Not that it matters because we have a slow car, but it seems as though Ferrari still are prioritizing Carlos. Gave him a prep lap and not Charles. Then Carlos blocked Charles as a result…whether on purpose or not, this team never learns.

https://twitter.com/fanaticsferrari/...MEXNs901WxUZsA

https://twitter.com/fanaticsferrari/...MEXNs901WxUZsA

[tifosi1993]

I also fault Charles for this. He isn't ruthless enough. No other driver would ever tolerate ****shows like Monaco and Silverstone, especially those who are aspired to be champions.

But Charles is too mellow. Blames himself for his own mistakes, small or big, but doesn't say anything about Ferrari.

Or maybe he isn't allowed to. Ferrari executives do have the notion of them or Ferrari being above any criticism. Remember when Fernando wished for a better car on his birthday and how Luca and the italian media railed against him? I guess Charles doesn't want to deal with those sorts of stuffs.

[racingbradley]

I just think Charles needs to get ruthless at meetings. [maybe he is] Michael would never have tolerated this.

[PURE PASSION]

I also fault Charles for this. He isn't ruthless enough. No other driver would ever tolerate ****shows like Monaco and Silverstone, especially those who are aspired to be champions.

But Charles is too mellow. Blames himself for his own mistakes, small or big, but doesn't say anything about Ferrari.

Or maybe he isn't allowed to. Ferrari executives do have the notion of them or Ferrari being above any criticism. Remember when Fernando wished for a better car on his birthday and how Luca and the italian media railed against him? I guess Charles doesn't want to deal with those sorts of stuffs.

Ι know and understand that a true champion must demand his rights and push the team, but i as a team supporter dont support this. I dont whant a driver to have more strength then the team. I love the scenario like we have now that our lead driver is a ferrari kid and leave and breath foe the team !!! BUT this is also the reason why i BLAME the team for all the mistakes and that they havent prioritize Lec since day 1!!!!! THIS team doesnt deserves to be champions and doesnt deserve a loyal driver like Lec.
im a die hard ferrari fan since 1988 and i was always had hope . BUT this ended this year. Yhey drained my last drop of hope and mental strengh. I came to a point that now my wish is ,the team to quit F1 and Lec to go to a team like Aston Martin (for me this will be the team that will dominate in 2-3 years) . Someone will tell me to start supporting them from now. But i cant ,simply because as much as i have being disappointed from the team i cant stay against them. I will never be against ferrari!!!! So the only reason to keep watching F1 (and dont end up to a psychiatric hospital) is them to quit the sport so i can start supporting another team from the beginning. And all this because i cant see a scenario that ferrari can built a team that can fight for the championship in the near future !!!!

[tpe]

I insist that Leclerc is leaving Ferrari.

[ferrari1.8t]

And somehow Xavi still has a job.

https://twitter.com/fanaticsferrari/...MEXNs901WxUZsA

[Kingdom Hearts]

I just think Charles needs to get ruthless at meetings. [maybe he is] Michael would never have tolerated this.

What he needs is to grow a pair and fight Sainz in equal terms.

[WS6TransAm01]

I said last year that Charles is too nice. Nice guys finish last.

[paolo lalli]

Xavier needs to master communication the pit wall let our drivers down again with incorrect information.Xavi has made monumental errors last year,so his position is under scrutiny. Ferrari need to either axe him or axe him one choice.

[PURE PASSION]

The problem is that ig you add them up , half the team are making mistakes or are not good enough. So yes they all need to be replaced BUT with whom ?????? THIS is the real problem .That nobody good wants to come to work with us!!! The core of the team are stuck in the past and expect to be No1 just from the name/history and dont really bother how this will happen.
Now sit back and watch this "historical" team burn to the ground !!!!

[nani_s23]

I also fault Charles for this. He isn't ruthless enough. No other driver would ever tolerate ****shows like Monaco and Silverstone, especially those who are aspired to be champions.

But Charles is too mellow. Blames himself for his own mistakes, small or big, but doesn't say anything about Ferrari.

Or maybe he isn't allowed to. Ferrari executives do have the notion of them or Ferrari being above any criticism. Remember when Fernando wished for a better car on his birthday and how Luca and the italian media railed against him? I guess Charles doesn't want to deal with those sorts of stuffs.

Big players like Ham/Max take strategy into their hands. Most of the cases, they oppose the calls from pit wall. If Charles want to be a champion, he need to be ruthless just like Max used to be with RB. Get your priorities first.

Carlos is getting his priorities first from the pit wall. Which I don’t see happening with Charles.

[Williams F1 Fan]

Years and years will pass before this team is back to winning ways

Keep the Faith my Friend. I have followed Williams during the 1990's, Rothmans Renault era, Mansell, Hill, Villeneuve, Driver Title Wins. Then at the end of the 1990's, we had the Winfield Williams. We no longer had the Renault engine deal, resulting in us not doing so well.
The 2000's BMW era promised much, unfortunately this partnership ended around six years later. Both sides (Williams / BMW) had different ideas on how the Team should go forward.
Recent seasons have seen us at the bottom of the Constructor's Championship. About as low as you can get.
Don't think that Ferrari will ever get to that Stage. During the 2000's, I saw us doing OK, and Minardi the proverbial back markers. I used to think how can they compete with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren.
Williams are currently the modern day Minardi.
But you have to Keep the Faith. Ferrari are too Big a Team to be struggling, it will come Good.
Just need the right ingredients for it to all come together.

[tifosi1993]

Big players like Ham/Max take strategy into their hands. Most of the cases, they oppose the calls from pit wall. If Charles want to be a champion, he need to be ruthless just like Max used to be with RB. Get your priorities first.

Carlos is getting his priorities first from the pit wall. Which I don’t see happening with Charles.

I think we should also take team atmosphere into account. Both Max and Ham have competent race engineers. They are allowed to vent. I don't think Charles has that same luxury.

But yeah, he needs to be ruthless. Enough with the nice guy persona.

[Nick Singer]

Expected more from quali but both drivers claim they were given wrong info on cars coming up behind them , believing them to be on fast laps, so moved over and it ruined up their tyre prep. Charles also admits he wasn't at his best, but reading between the lines, I think he's just very disillusioned with this season already. The worst thing for me is seeing the two Mercs managing to grab P2/3. Saying that, there is no excuse for the SF23's failings and where is this bomb of a power unit? We can only dream of a decent result tomorrow, it seems.

Grasping at straws, mon ami!

Fact is we appear to have a lemon of a car and a (de facto) number one driver who is fast losing patience. That we have not won a Championship since 2007 - 2007 FFS! - says it all.

Much as I respect the 'Italian' soul of the team and the 'brand', I really suspect that as long as the team is run like a subsidiary of the Borgias, employing almost exclusively Italian personnel and keeping all divisions in Italy, we will remain also-rans for a long time.

I don't expect us to be winning everything but we should be able to go into every race weekend expecting podiums (podia?) at least! And before the usual suspects chime in with the 'go support another team!' drivel, I have followed Ferrari for 40 years. If I was not a loyal supporter I would have given up long ago.

SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH!